


A Friend in(k) Me

by Sai Cannopy Cé (Sai_Cannopy)



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No One For All, Bakugo is a jackass and no one is surprised by this, Midoriya Izuku Has a Quirk, On Hiatus, i hate the lowercased tags do you know how many times i've had to do that, wow would you look at the time it's crossover and more fics for Sai wow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-03 22:34:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14579061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sai_Cannopy/pseuds/Sai%20Cannopy%20C%C3%A9
Summary: At the age of four years, Izuku learns that he has a Quirk that allows him to create life via art. They just come out in black 'n white, grey here and there and all ink.Too bad no one likes it.





	1. Friends Are Made in Ink

**Author's Note:**

> Wow I'm back and bad with these godforsaken awful summaries.
> 
> Yo I'm back with another crossover and if it wasn't noticeable yeah this is Izuku with a quirk fic. Again.
> 
> Whelp I'm not original, but the thing is I decided to crossover Izuku & the Bendy game, because god it sucked me back in and wow I love the songs. It more or less stemmed from the fact that I was like hmm, Bendy and Izuku seem good foils to each other (yo canon bendy is screaming over the fact that we don't know his personality). why not put them together? And then I spent like an hour last night writing almost 1.7k up. Oops.
> 
> But yeah! I hope you enjoy, and hopefully chapter 2'll be posted tomorrow!

"Hiiiiiiiiii!"

 

That was the first thing Izuku saw of his Quirk appearing before he smashed it.

 

But he documents it. Documents how it came from that paper horribly drawn but love being put into it. Wishes he could've taken a picture of the aftermath of the thing's demise. Wonders how the crayons went from such a lovely red, dark blue, and blazing yellow to inky black, white, and grey. He didn't even see them change colors!

 

But 4-year-old Izuku doesn't stop here. He does it again and again, always getting different results. Sometimes they'd sort of work, and they kind of go around the house terrorizing his mother because "Izuku, hon, I love these adorable things but they're so messy!" Other times they wouldn't, and he's scared by the monstrosities that drag themselves out of the ground; a broom always keeps them away. (He learns that they need to have a stable form in order for them to work.)

 

When a being actually comes out in perfect form, he squeals in joy and hangs around with it. They play house and cops 'n robbers, his mother more often than not being a cop alongside him. Sometimes, if it lasts the day, he reads to it as a bedtime story. His bed's an inky mess the next morning, so there's always drawbacks to that.

 

Showing them outside is a huge no-no.

 

"What the heck is that thing?!" Some would point and whack at the inky heroes Izuku made painstakingly a few nights ago. "God, they look like demons!" And then some would start ravaging them. Izuku's left to hearing their screams - "Get away from the summoner! He can speak to them!" - as they slowly return to the black blobs they start off as and sink into the ground.

 

Kacchan's the worst out of all of them. A promise to be heroes together! To stick to the very end! Heck, he'd even come over some few times and play with his friends!

 

But then he has the audacity to turn back to him and say, "Who the fuck plays with fucking shadows? They're fucking useless as fuck, and they don't even do shit!

 

"Do you think this is a game, huh!?"

 

And then he made one of his most favorite creatures, a winged dogs, explode in his face.

 

It does not help his esteem one but as Kacchan starts hurting him for protecting others from his bullying. It doesn't help that no one, not even the people he saves, wants to be his friend. It doesn't help that people call him a nerd, a dweeb, a loser, a loner and awful, awful labels. He exercises! He eats his veggies and meats like a good child! He's like every other kid!

 

And they have the audacity to turn a blind eye?!

 

He blocks out the kids at the age of 6, still helping bullied children out but refusing to speak to anyone but his mom. He learns how to lie and keep quiet, never saying a peep about any of the bullying being thrown onto him.

 

* * *

 

One day he watches some scary videos on a horror game. Mom's told him on various occasions not to watch scary videos at night, buuuut he forgets. And then promptly gets scolded in the morning after getting out of bed with her for doing so.

 

But it inspires him. He rather likes the little demon depicted so often in throughout the game, and it fits what (lies) everyone's called him. So why not make something off of what he is and likes (hates)?

 

And out pops his first friend in such a long time, Bendy. A cute little ink demon who slithers all around his shadow and under his shirt and smiles happily at the world around him. Dances sometimes, and even asks for a tune or two to perform to.

 

But he's also quite like Bakugo, except a little nicer.

 

"Should'a bit the flipping _d_ out of that brat!" Bendy shouts and flips the bird at Bakugo after he notices some of the burns the bully left on him. "Would'a taught the son of a dog a mcFlog's lesson if ya ask _me_!"

 

"B-but then I would be j-just as bad -"

 

Bendy smacks the kid's hand, frown growing deeper. "Don't you say that, Zu! 'Oh I'd be just as bad as him'!" He makes his voice high-pitched as he mocks Izuku, then stares straight into his soul with concerned eyes. "Kid, that's _self defense_. It's probably not a good thin' that _I_ , a monster made from you, is sayin' that. You should know tha' by now."

 

Shortly afterwards Bendy gets bored. "Same faces every day! Fresh face would do just fine if ya ask _me_! Though you should do something about yourself first."

 

Subtlety is not Bendy's expertise.

 

And that's how Boris is made three years later at the age of 9. Bendy is promptly pissed at him for making such a thing, but he loves the dog! He's cute and nice and the complete opposite of Bendy!

 

"ZU ZU PLEASE, I BEG YA, GET THAT DOG OFFA ME!"

 

Izuku snorts as Boris drags Bendy off to the drawing board. "You know I need you on that paper or you'll never be back to full health again!" He rolls his eyes as he remembers how one of the horns was blown off trying to keep his own eye from being the target of the explosion. He grumbles as he adds, "Or your whining, better yet."

 

"WHY YOU - HEY, STOP THAT! NO NO NO-" And with that, Bendy is successfully stuck in the paper, unable to move anywhere unless he wants to mess himself up. A text bubble appears on the upper portion. ' _I hate you both._ ' is all it says before Bendy admits his defeat and sits, waiting to have his horn redrawn.

 

"Thank you for the help as always, Boris."

 

"A pleasure, if it means to see Bendy well and bell!"

 

"... Boris, that's not how rhyming works."

 

"D'aw, toodle noodles."

 

* * *

 

Izuku is 11 when Bendy whispers in his ear from his bush of a head, "Don't look, but you have Weirdo on your six." He pulls on his ears when he thinks about stopping. "Don't stop or he'll _notice_! Take a different route instead!"

 

Boris is not exactly helpful, chattering his teeth and saying "Oohhh I hope he didn't see us I hope he didn't see us. T-there he is, Bendy!" And Bendy always replies with hisses of "I know, Bor, I know!" and "Eyes up and feet moving! He's still there..."

 

Alice, his newest creation, is at least helpful with singing soft, soothing lullabies about the beautiful sky and its sparkling stars that take up the space.

 

It's only until Izuku's made his third trip to the same train station does Bendy say, "He's gone." And then proceeds to ruin it with cursing as bad as Bakugo when the boy's touched him in any form.

 

"Holy macaroons, Bendy! If you don' stop with tha mouth of yours, I'll give your mouth a good zip!"

 

"Knew dis Angel weren't good for anythin' other th'n snitchin'! Boris, be a good pal an help me out!"

 

"Guys, please," Izuku whispers in a wheezing tone, not feeling up for another argument between the two again. "Ju... Save that for another day, wuh-would you?"

 

He calls his mother up as soon as possible. The three inklings give their sides of the story, and Bendy helps by giving a rather vivid description of the man chasing them down. "Down to the bone", as Boris says with a growl in his throat.

 

The police are called, but nothing is found or noticed. The train station only says that they thought it was a kid in some sort of scene to be filmed, not some possible crime scene. Sometimes Izuku wishes he had better luck than this.

 

It doesn't get any better from there, as the man chases after him still. A new route to and fro home. Bendy decides as he gets Izuku to make a bike to get everywhere faster. Boris sniffs out the scent to see if he's close and sees that Izu has two sets of eyes and a good set of teeth for guards. Angel is so kind to just be a fountain of rapid acts of comfort, whether it be calm strokes in his hair or talks of a new song she's been thinking of recording on his phone (but never does). 

 

It ends three months later, and the Midoriya household gives a collective sigh of relief.

 

* * *

 

At age 15, Izuku hides deep into his desk and tries desperately to sink into his massive frizzy hair.

 

Because of course his teacher has to point out and ask, "But aren't you planning to go to UA as well, Midoriya?"

 

The classroom bursts out in peals of laughter at his dispense, mocking him and his appearance. "No _way_ would they take in a hobo of a _Quirkless kid_! Who'd even _want_ this guy for a hero, anyways?"

 

And Bakugo. Oh good God above and around him, he's so dead. He can't stop himself from jumping at the explosion right in front of him, and the laughter grows even louder despite the boy's shout for the "fodder to shut the fucking ass up". He doesn't get to say what he wants to say when the bell rings, luckily for Izuku, so instead Bakugo growls out, "You got saved by the bell. For now. Expect a fucking reality check of your life soon."

 

Izuku hides under the staircase nearby during lunch, silently crying as Bendy whispers angry curses at the boy. There's promises of ripping the whole school apart before Izuku softly tells him, "Don't. They won't learn.

 

"I didn't."

 

Because Izuku can't help but defend those who are still being mocked and bullied here. It doesn't help that they turn to him and screech that they didn't want help from a Quirkless fool. The worst ones are the ones who fake it all and record his "reward". Some of those guys even say they were paid by the group that bullied them to do so. Just for the money.

 

He won't learn from saving these (assholes fucktards jackasses I hate them _I HATE THEM_ ), but it makes him feel a little better that he did something ( _why don't you go ask someone ELSE to save you, then. go on!_ ).

 

The day goes from awful to straight up "Kill me now". Bakugo is back, two other boys here to watch him go at it. He mocks him for thinking of touching UA - “ _I’ll_ be the firsthero to go to UA from this crappy public school!" - and then

 

Proceeds to ruin his newest edition of his Hero series. One that he painstakingly developed over the course of his life and added to his collections of hero analysis.

 

It doesn't help that he actually calls him Quirkless. Like he doesn't remember his Quirk, Ink Machine. Like he didn't mock him for his Quirk being so demonic and lame. Standing up to him is quickly thrown out the window.

 

"If you're so desperate to become a hero, why not go take a swan dive off the roof? Maybe you’ll be a hero in the next life!"

 

Bendy is tearing at his scalp an skin, and Izuku is sure he'll have a few scratches and cuts from it. He can hear him sizzling in anger, voice low as he curses and promises violence for this boy. It stops for a split second when the boy makes the "joke". Just as Bakugo is gone Bendy is back in his liquid form, being a soothing mass of comfort and ink in the shape of a friend as he slowly heads down the stairs.

 

He talks as Izuku heads home. "Ya know, I know tha the best thing ta eat was a bird!" He tries to be cheerful and drag Izuku away from that mess of a thing, but even he can tell the being wants to be right there at the Bakugo home and tear the family apart. "Er, don't go that way, ain't a good way. Anyways, ya know what's good-lookin?"

 

"Alice?" He weakly asks, if only to make Bendy go off about something less awkward.

 

He's happy Bendy is his friend, because he happily adds on. "No ya dumb mule, she's hideous! Still don know what made ya make her like that! And don go tellin me it's cuz of them damn videos cuz it AIN'T! I was there when ya made her, so I should know. Over that way's safe."

 

10 minutes later and they hear an explosion. He's not sure how long it had been since it started, but there's a fire; he just doesn't know how long it's been going on before his nose caught it. (How had he not notice it earlier--)

 

Running towards the sight against Bendy's wishes brings him to a fiery scene in which heroes are backing away and crowds are watching. Each hero is almost looking at each other, like the other has a plan or will go in there.

 

Or they're waiting for All Might.

 

Izuku doesn't deny that he'd probably wait for All Might, but that doesn't dissuade one from doing something about this! Turning around shows him no one else is going to step in there, but just. There has to be someone to stop this villain.

 

"Holy shit, kid, I think I'm blind, because there's no way we're seeing Bakugo Katsuki in there."

 

Bendy's not wrong, because Izuku has the other memorized down to a T. If he says it's Bakugo, it must be him. Now that he thinks about it, very people around here even have a quirk that can cause such destructive power. "I-I ha-have t-to go in--"

 

Izuku stops in his tracks as he sees Bakugo's fearful face. It's screaming for help.

 

"ZU ZU, WAIT!"

 

But Izuku blocks everything out. Rushes in, a bit of a plan in his head. Throws his bag at the slime, then grabs at Bakugo's arm.

 

And then the slime almost roars happily. "Target located at 2 o'clock!" He gurgles before he's suddenly rushing all around Izuku. He barely hears Bendy screaming "ZU ZU!" before the villain's stuffing himself down.

 

Something inside Izuku nearly snaps. _It's disgusting_ he repeats internally as the slime is being stuffed down his throat. The villain's saying something, probably a monologue, but all Izuku want is this thing off of him.

 

Something is stopping the wooziness in one fell punch (punch, because wind), and the slime is suddenly off of him. He isn't able to see who saved him (All Might, it has to be no one else can do that) as he finally falls to the quietness of unconsciousness.

 

It doesn't last long, as soon enough his body jerks him awake, almost shaking with the idea that the thing is still in him. Looking around only shows machines (ha) around him, one showing an erratic beat before it starts slowing down and another with a needle in his arm. He would pull it off, but he feels like he'd vomit.

 

He's definitely not prepared for his family to barge in. "What were you thinking?!" Poor mom is screeching her worries as she tightens his head - "Ow ow ow ow ow-" "Oh I'm sorry, Izuku-kun dearie-" - in a hug filled with anger, love, fear, and relief. "You could've been killed there and then who would I be left with?! Izu, darling,  please don't do that again!"

 

Bendy sighs dramatically, though in Bendy terms that means he too is relieved. "Ya know he won' listen to ya there, ma'am."

 

"This time he will! Won't you, Izuku?"

 

"...."

 

"Izuku!" She starts shaking his shoulders as Bendy chuckles at the sight. He is right, though; he will do this again if he so needs to.

 

"Ya know," Alice boxes Bendy's horns and looks over at Izuku. "She is right. If ya die there... We wouldn't be here." The angel gestures at the three of the ink creatures. "We'd die with ya, sink to the ground with no way back. Your ma would really be all alone then. Please, for the love of us all, don't freak us out like that.

 

"Promise?" All of them look at him with pleading eyes.

 

It doesn't give him much of a choice. "I can try."

 

"Good!" And then Boris is morphing himself into a dog before laying besides Izuku. "I ain' leavin' ya alone, Izuku," is all he says before he dozes off.

 

* * *

 

Izuku wakes up in a fright, scrambling to get off out and away from the slime. But he doesn’t get far, because then it’s surrounding him, coddling him, mocking him, suffocating him, in his, taking him drowning him he’s _green he’s dead he’s a robe he’s dead he’s gone he’s a robe he’s dead -_

 

“Izu?” Someone - Boris? Boris, it’s Boris, because only Boris has that baritone voice - whispers in his ear. The dark green fades from his sight, but Izuku can’t bring himself to look around out of fear that he’s wrong. “C’mon, you old bone, make a tone?”

 

_Only one idiot would make stupid rhymes like that_ he thinks with a chuckle. “I keep telling you, that’s not how rhymes work.”

 

“Well it does to me when I’m in Worrywart Mode!” Boris is ruffling his hair viciously before slowing down to comforting threading. “You really oki-doki, though, artichoki?”

 

“Of course, Boris.” A natural response he can’t stop himself from saying. “I-I mean…. I think I might be.”

 

“You think you might be All Right?”

 

“Was that a pun?”

 

“Oh, would you look at the time!” And Boris bounces off the bed, a loud creak as he does so. The dog-man slowly moves around Izuku and his line of vision as he moves over to the table next to him, which -

 

“Wow, that’s… a lot of cards.” Sure it’s only like, six or seven, but it’s still a lot.

 

“You should look at ‘em. Made sure not a single one was bad.”

 

“So you looked through them?”

 

“I ain’t no snooper like Bendy and Alice are, Izuku, but I have a good nose!”

 

Izuku feels a small smile form. “Thanks, Boris.”

 

Opening them up shows him that a few heroes - he recognizes their handwriting: Kamui, Backdraft, Death Arms, _Mount Lady? -_ who give their share of awkward get-betters alongside lectures of “don’t do that again you could get hurt”. He ignores them (they didn’t do much so he doesn’t think about it (it still hurts)) as he moves onto the… damaged one. Yep, that’s clearly Bakugo if he’s ever seen it. The boy’s mother must’ve gotten him to write this up, because no thanks can ever get as aggressive as his.

 

“Ooo, Bendy’ll have a field trip wit this.”

 

“Field _day_ , Boris.”

 

“Same difference!”

 

When he looks back, he finds his notebook, except it’s got different binding. Wooden, he notes. Opening it shows different entries and signatures and _oh no they saw his notes_. He almost shrieks when he sees their little - or in Arms and Lady’s cases, large - handwriting, saying they’ll try this or that out. All of them have said that they like his drawings of them and how on point they are, but they’re a little creepy with how specific they are. (His Quirk’s downside, he guesses.)

 

The greatest thing that makes his day (night, when he looked around him) is that _All Might_ left _his_ signature on the back of the book. Of course it says Plus Ultra and whatnot, but:

 

_I saw you out there, running to get that boy out of there. If we had more heroes like you, we’d be overflowing with heroic people willing to make a difference. You inspired me, even if you don’t know._

 

_You_ ** _can be a hero_**.

 

Boris is shaking Izuku’s unconscious body, begging for the boy to tell him everything’s okay and “if they said anythin’ nasty let me at ‘em just tell me you’re okay!"


	2. Real Neighbor Hours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO I WASN'T PREPARED FOR THE LARGE AMOUNT OF HITS OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS.
> 
> I'm not kidding when I say this: this _easily_ got more hits than any of my fics ever got, more than I even _expected._ ~~I was thinking 20 hits, maybe a Kudos and no comment but clearly I was wrong.~~ I was planning to continue writing this because I ended up enjoying this way too much (and, since I've been writing further ahead, have someone's Beta Hero Suit ready), but this? Wow.
> 
> Also I legit opened up archive yesterday and was like THE FUCK?! when I saw that I got 6 comments. That means a lot to me, and a bit of an accomplishment too. ~~If Izuku was in FNAF he'd be _outta there_ lickity split.~~
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you so much for reading chapter 1! Without further ado, here's a short chapter 2!

He is going to die. One hundred percent going to happen. Right here, right now. He should go back, he doesn’t deserve to be here, should be studying for that awful high school nearby -

“Eyes on the prize, Zu Zu!” Bendy bites Izuku’s ear, yelping the boy back to reality. Soul-crushing, mind you. “We didn’ do no trainin’ for nothin’!”

Training? Izuku thinks back on the extra research he put into exercising and seeing how far his Quirk could go in terms of creation. Then proceeds to pale, remembering the grotesque morphings his inklings performed to be… stronger.

“G-gotcha, boss.”

“I ain’ the boss of ya, ya ar’! Now, say it with meh: I worked to get here.”

“I worked to get here. W-wait —“

“And thus I deserve to be here. Nu uh uh! None of that depressin’ shit.” Bendy gives a little slap on Izuku’s forehead to stop him from complaining. “C’mon, Zu, say it.”

“A-and th-thus I d-deserve to be h-here.”

“Louder, kid.”

“A-and thus I deserve to be here!” He more or less screams it out, earning him a few pairs of confused eyes and mumbling.

Bendy sighs. “I didn’ mean for ya to be _tha_ loud, but if you insist. Also Number One Jackass is on your six.”

All thoughts of being the tiniest bit calm are thrown out the face of the Earth as Bakugo forces himself past him, ignoring his own squeaky hello and just glaring straight at him. No mocking, no verbal acknowledgement. He just heads inside without causing a bang.

“… Ya should follow ‘im.” Bendy states simply before becoming a blob of ink in his hair.

Lucky must  _really_ shining down in hell, because Izuku takes one flipping _step_ and he’s _falling._ A thousand thoughts fly through his head, the more prominent being _why is this my life_. But he never feels the ground, and the only liquid in his hair is Bendy.

He finally notes the hand on his shoulder, as it’s guiding him back to his stiff standing position. Turning around brings him face to face with a _girl_. A pretty girl. not Alice or his mom but a _girl_.

He barely registers her talking, but all that’s clicking in his mind is _girl girl girl a girl talked to me someone talked to me without looking at me funny holy_ snickerdoodles. But soon enough his ears start working again and he picks up her squeal of “We’re going to be late!” It almost doesn’t process through his body, but somehow it goes through

So he’s left chasing after her, rushing to the classroom they’re required to meet up in and barely making it in time before whoever is in charge of this part of the test comes in.

* * *

 

“Zu, I know you can’t do much but can you  _PLEASE MOVE?_!” Bendy screeches as he pulls apart another point bot heading towards Izuku.

Izuku’s been stumbling around the entire test in that daze, not really realizing that he’s supposed to earn points to pass the test. It’s hard for him to focus when there’s so many people and Quirks and robots and _panic_ and inspiration that he sort of wishes he brought Boris to help him out in this hellhole. He regrets not bringing his notebook, but he’d rather be in this kind of situation rather than be noted as a cheater. (Bendy lectures at him afterwards and tells him he’d rather the kid be alive and noted as a cheater rather than a fucking flesh pancake. Ew.)

Once again he meets another robot before his partner screams at him to “move, damnit, move!” and the robot’s head is ripped off with frightening screech of terror from the bot. His rising panic does not help that Bendy is in this monstrous form, but he can’t stop the ink being from his attacks or he’ll be toast.

Bendy, thank god he’s made friends with him, is considerate towards him and becomes his cutesy form when he finishes that robot. Before roughly grabbing Izuku with panicked eyes and, in an angry tone, yells, “Look, kiddo, I know that you’re in Ga Ga Land over how much shit is here, but your mom wants you _alive_ after this! Hell, I don’t think she even _knows_ about this! So for our fucking sakes, wake the fuck up!”

That slap to the face wakes him up. (Sort of.) “Y-yessir.”

“It’s _Bendy_ , idiot, not _sir_.”

He’s slowly returning to Earth now instead of being at the moon, but he realizes he doesn’t know how far along they’re in this test. Only that he’s passed the written portion while being sky high in his panic of a mind. “Uh, Bendy? Have you been keeping count of the points? you’ve been collecting?”

The other slaps his face, a deep sigh being emitted from him. “Yes, Izuku, I can _count_. Unlike you, who’s been who knows where, I’ve been tallying the numbers for you to tell them _we’ve_ collected. It’s about… twenty eight, by the way.”

Twenty eight… “That’s a lot of bots… but I wonder how many we need in order to get into Heroics… probably need to make it in the top ten, but no way to know…”

“Now ain’t the time to worry ‘bout that! Number twenty nine’s coming our way, and ya ain’t gettin’ hurt no more!”

“G-got it! Wait a minute, I haven’t gotten hurt at all!”

“Shut it and get movin’! We got a test to pass!”

* * *

 

“ _You_ are the most _stupidest, idiotic, messed up_ brat of a _boy_ that I have _ever_ had the golly of meetin’, mistah!” Alices lectures Izuku as she flicks his forehead, so ferocious in the scolding that he’s afraid he’s going to die to her rather than what the world has in store for him. “ _First_ Bendy tells me you nearly got your _head_ taken off at _various points_ in the test, even at the start. Then - Boris, take that damn strengthener away from him before he strains his damn hand! Then yo stupid ass - yes, stupid ass went ahead and decided hmm, let’s go ahead and protect myself from the WORLD’S BIGGEST **_ROBOT IN THE GODDAMN WORLD!_** All for the sake of _what_ exactly? A GIRL! Did it ever cross your mind tha school would’ve stopped that, as ‘m so sure that they’d beh charged with MURDER if they did that? Did you?!”

“T-to be fair, none of us knew this was coming?” It’s so pathetic of an attempt to lighten up the mood, but the four pairs of eyes staring through his soul are saying otherwise.

Alice, judging with how ink is vibrating around her, is going to murder him. “Are you even liSTENING TO YOURSELF?! THAT’S WHY WE’RE HERE! TO PROTECT YOU! THAT’S OUR DUTY! _OUR_ DUTY!”

“B—but then I—“

“SHUT IT, IZUKU! YOU’RE _OUR_ CREATOR, _OUR_ FA-FAMILY PRACTICALLY, AND YOU’RE SAYING THAT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE A HERO YOU CAN THROW AWAY YOUR LIFE LIKE THAT?!” The Angel is breathing heavily, not a tear in sight despite her desperation to get the fact through.

“She has a point, Izu,” Boris pipes up, nuzzling into his shoulder. “If you didn’t have guys like me ’n Alice ’n Bendy, you’d’ve been dead like the mead. Shush about the rhymes for a bit, and just… hear our concerns?”

“They’re legit ones, ya know.” Bendy whispers from inside his hair, recovering from the tremendous effort it took him to tear the zero pointer from the inside out. “We know tha' bein’ a hero is your dream, but people do care about ya. Ev’ry hero who has a family will tell ya the same thing: we fear for them. Hell, ‘m sure the public fears for All Might!

“Please, just try not to break your promise so easily?”

It takes everything in Izuku not to shrug it off with a breakable “I promise”. “I’ll try not to.”

“Good,” Alice humphs as Boris grabs for the phone. “Now the next step is to text your mom that you’re awake.”

“Sure - wait, she knows?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t we - hell, the school not tell her this?”

“… How dead do you guys think I am?”

* * *

 

One week later, and anxiety has been eating away at Izuku so much he can’t really tell what’s been going on.

He knows he came back from the school and rested the next day. He knows that his mother gave him a lecture of a lifetime before shoveling food onto his plate and getting him to eat. Then comes the third day in which he reminds himself about the test, and he calculates every bit of it, goes over every mistake, every failure, every point Bendy got for him, every second he stood and did nothing, going over his written portion he studied so meticulously and the chance he possibly failed. He does a few exercises here and there, but he’s so out of it Alice and, hell, _Bendy_ are taking him aside and getting him to eat or stop.

His mom, his poor mother, has been fretting over him nonstop. At first it’s over the state of his body (not much, a few fractures can go away, he’s dealt with this before). Then it’s over his mental state, which is a wreck as of now. He knows that it would be better to talk this over with them to relax himself, but he can’t because he’s so stuck in that loop of grading himself and failing himself that he forgets about talking.

He’s so into that Loop that he doesn’t hear the doorbell ring and the ever-knowing voice of his mother calling out, “I’ll get it!” He doesn’t feel his ink family swarm over him and move the heavy dumbbell he’s been half-heartedly using away from him, worried looks being thrown directly at him. Hell, Bendy’s silly faces blow right by, making the poor ink child feel dejected.

“IZU-IZU-IZUKU! IZUKUUUUU!” His mother’s voice is high-pitched, and Izuku’s long stretch of dejection is thrown out the window as his mother comes skidding in. “I-IT’S HERE!

“THE LETTER!”

It’s kind of hard to process what happens, because next minute all of them are in the kitchen, Izuku having the letter in one hand and Bendy under the other. Mom is skittering behind him, biting her nails and muttering fears and wonder while Alice tries to soothe her and look over at Izuku in case she needs to come in and comfort. Boris has his head over Izuku, coaxing Izuku to open it up. Which he does, ripping the envelope into two and –

“THIS IS A PROJECTION!”

Izuku’s mouth is left gaping as Bendy is laughing his head off – literally, as Boris is off to fetch the rolling head to reattach it. All Might? What’s he doing here? He can’t help his wonder and looking at the envelope, wondering aloud, “I-isn’t this from UA? Y-yeah, it says here –“

“HELLO, MIDORIYA IZUKU! I—What do you mean I don’t need to intro—okay okay, hold on— AHEM!” Izuku swears he sees blood, but it’s probably the blaring colors behind the man that’s making it seem so. “AS I WAS SAYING - I WILL BE YOUR TEACHER AT UA STARTING THIS YEAR!

“NOW, ONTO THE TEST!”

Moment of truth, moment of truth, “moment of truth”—

“YOU PASSED THE WRITTEN EXAM WITH FLYING COLORS!”

There’s a wave of relief amongst his peers, but Izuku is still coiled, tense, waiting for the next part.

“AS FOR YOUR PRACTICAL… YOU FAILED TO MAKE IT INTO THE TOP TEN.”

_Oh no_.

“BUT! THAT’S NOT THE END OF THE STORY! PLEASE WATCH THE SCREEN!”

Whu- what—

“EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE ONLY ABLE TO GET A MEASLY FORTY POINTS—“

“HE CALLIN’ ME _MEASLY_?! I’LL SHOW THAT BASTA’ WHO’S REALLY—“

“BENDY!”

“BENDY SHUT UP AND LET HIM HEAR THIS!”

“YOU WERE ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR MOST OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS!”

“HOW DARE HE—“

“Bendy, this is the last time I say this. Shut. Up.”

“Y-yes Inko-ma.”

“IN THIS EXAM, WE WEREN’T JUST TESTING YOU FOR VILLAIN POINTS, BUT ALSO RESCUE POINTS!” Izuku really can’t keep up with this booming man, what with his blaring background and outrageous poses. “IF OUR HERO COURSE REJECTED THOSE WHO WENT OUT THERE TO DO THE RIGHT THING, THEN THIS WOULD BE NO HERO COURSE AT ALL!

“THINK THIS IS ALL FOR THE CAMERAS? THINK THIS IS WHERE YOU WANT JUST THE MONEY? THE FAME? IN THIS JOB, YOU RISK YOUR LIFE AND PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS!

“ _ONE HUNDRED POINTS FOR_ ** _IZUKU MIDORIYA_**!”

What. What. He can’t feel the others shaking him, screaming and causing such a racket that his mother is over at the door yelling at the neighbors to let them have this.

“You’re in, Midoriya Izuku. NOW, COME, MIDORIYA! THIS WILL BE _YOUR_ HERO ACADEMY!”

He can’t hear the last of the hero’s speech because he’s crying and sobbing so loudly that he can’t even make out the subtitles. Not to mention the house has gotten significantly louder as the neighbors start banging on the door to get them to settle down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a link for the design Bendy's "grotesque" form is based off: shinyzango.tumblr.com/post/169837390970/speaking-of-break-i-wanted-to-see-if-i-still
> 
> We'll see Alice's version in whichever chapter after 3, because I totally forgot which went first, the Hero lesson or the Exit Sign Iida event. (I went back and checked, realizing oh, Iida becomes the sign afterwards.)
> 
> Tune in this weekend for Chapter 3!


	3. That's Just How It is In This Bitch of a World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Uh. Wow. Thanks, y'all. I'm really surprised that I got 132 _fucking hits holy shit_. So WOW THANKS AGAIN SERIOUSLY LIKE I WISH I COULD HUG Y'ALL BUT I can't. Reality is a bitch when you really are surprised by how many of y'all are reading this and can't show how much ya appreciate the time y'all take to read this fic (half of the time I'm like _was that hit me or someone else?_ ) Despite that, thank you for the kudos, comments, and the hits! It means a lot to me!
> 
> In between the time I was rewriting this chapter somewhat (probs why it's a little awkward towards the end), I was writing up how I wanted the rest of this story to go. I'm probably going to go all the way until the end of the Hideout Raid Arc (trust me I got my mind on how that's gonna go) because BnHA is _that_ long and also really stupidly happening within a fucking semester how the fuck Horikoshi. I'm probably gonna do the Internship arc, or some of the other arcs besides the Hero Liscense one, but that most likely will be a Part 2 (again, I don't know if I want to go that far due to Izuku not having OFA).
> 
> Btw, I will either have to once again cancel some of my series, finish some of them off, put some on hiatus or leave them as drabbles because I need to start regulating myself in terms of writing. (I write a lot but never finish wow) Also, college is coming up and I gotta pass my classes to graduate. So sorry to those who were hoping I might update my other series! Though Rain on Your Parade will update somewhere within the next month or so, I have the chapter in mind but it needs to be done one day.
> 
> Besides all that personal shit, let's get started with chapter 3!

“This is a big door.” Izuku notes stupidly. Why would the door not be huge? The school accommodates for all, irregardless of Quirks being involved.

 

The three inklings sigh at Izuku’s continuous analysis of the door. "Ya know, ya're gonna hav' ta open it soona or later," Bendy huffs, giving another pinch to Izuku's cheek.

 

"But it's--"

 

"Stop stallin' 'n get in, Izuku."

 

Opening the door feels like it takes everything out of him. Seeing what's happening is making every blood vessel stop.

 

There's so many different people it's crazy. There's a bird-faced person, some kind of octopus guy, and some grapes. There's a whole bunch regular people with wacky haircuts, but there's two distinct ones.

 

Namely Bakugo and that square guy who caught him mumbling.

 

"Ha?" Glad to know Bakugo's as haughty a always. "I can do whatever I want, Square Man!"

 

"Sq-Square Man?!" He sounds so offended, Izuku can't help but feel bad for him. Too bad he has three years to get used to that, poor guy. "I-My name is Iida Tenya, and I come from Somei Private!”

 

“A stuck-up elitist, huh? Should fucking blow you to pieces then!"

 

That boy sputters, but then notices Izuku so fast he can't help the squeak that comes out when he zooms in on him. "You!"

 

"M-me?" Izuku points to himself.

 

"I feel so stupid!" His arms are always on the move. Izuku notes to be careful around him. "I should've known the true nature of the test! I must commend you on your bravery and your knowledge of it!"

 

True nature? Brav- _what?_ His mind is trying to process this because he just did what he had to, _what difference does it make?_ He doesn't get the chance to ask how Iida knows about the whole rescue points, as immediately the other stiffens. “Ah, my apologies! I haven't introduced myself." He puts a hand over his heart (this isn't America last time he checked) "My name is Iida Tenya, and I come from Somei Private Academy."

 

"Mi-Midoriya Izuku," he barely introduces himself before Bakugo finally notices him.

 

God end his life right now.

 

"It's you!" A bubbly voice comes from behind, interrupting any attempt of interaction with the rowdy boy. Whipping his head back shows him that girl from the test (what kind of pose is she _doing?_ ). "That plain-looking boy! I was wondering if you got in, an I guess I was right!"

 

“If you’re here to socialize, then get out.”

 

It's so abrupt Izuku has to find the source. Which is this caterpillar on the floor. Sucking something ( _apple juice? protein?_ ).

 

The two of them walk straight into the room, the homeless man just hopping alongside them. Guess he's their teacher.

 

He's proven right when the man - Aizawa Shota, sound familiar alongside his scarf - comments on their slow uptake and how it'll cost them in the future. "Talk about vicious," Bendy mutters.

 

"What was that." Aizawa zooms in on Izuku with such viciousness he has to hide.

 

Even though Bendy gives him an apology as their changing, those eyes have been burned into his memories. (Something unknown stirred within him, almost in a protective manner, when those eyes fell onto him. Weird.)

 

They're outside, not a single thing in sight. Aizawa, still dressed in that black clothing _how is he_ not _hot in that_ , gets Bakugo to demonstrate his Quirk. The kid, dramatic as always, shouts " _DIE!_ " as the ball goes flying. Izuku's sure that if that was aimed at him, he'd be dead.

 

What a nice thought.

 

The moment they all see such an... interesting choice of test, the hero(?) goes deathly terrifying. "Is that how you think of this?" He's speaking clearly, but Izuku can't help but fear for his life right now. "You think this is a game? That hero is fun and games? Alright then. In that case, the student who ranks last will be judged 'hopeless'.

 

"And instantly expelled."

 

Alice hisses as Bendy grumbles a few choice curses. Some of the class gasps loudly, the girl he somewhat knows saying, "That's just unreasonable! It's our first day here!"

 

"And it's our jobs as heroes to make sure the next generation is prepared to take on the real deal." The man replies without a hitch. "From here on out, you're going to be put to your limit, and go even further.

 

"That is 'Plus Ultra'."

 

No, Izuku is not going to die out there, trying to protect people like an idiot. He is actually going to die here.

 

Their first test is not the ball throwing, but the fifty meter dash. Iida takes it in complete strides and beats everyone. The kid with the belly button laser... he can't help but pity him. Izuku is somewhat average despite the fact he's not using his Quirk ( _something isn't clicking, what is it?_ ).

 

Next is side steps. The grape kid is just a blur.

 

( _What did he miss? Damnit, this is why he shouldn't have muttered!_ )

 

It clicks when they use the strength testers. As Izuku watches in disbelief as the octopus kid breaks through 300 kilograms, he doesn't register ink sliding down and squeezing hard on the machine. When Izuku turns to see his measly score, he also screeches because "400 KILOGRAMS?!"

 

"Zu Zu, did you even hear Hobo explain what you were doing?" Said kid gives a small shake, hoping the crowd around him doesn't hear what's going on. All three of them sigh at his response. "You poor summer child, he said we - or in this case, you - can use our _Quirks_."

 

Oh. Oh- _Ohhhhhhh_.

 

"Oops," Izuku blushes, trying to hide under his bushy afro.

 

The activities sort of fly over Izuku's head. Thanks to the instructions finally clicking (still feels like cheating), he's doing better than half of the class, especially Bakugo in one or two of them.

 

Ball throwing is last to come. He doesn't know how he's going to deal with the infinity score (if this doesn't strike at Bakugo's pride then what will).

 

It's his turn to come up. Already he has an audience, which makes him sweat ink. Fuck, he was not prepared for this.

 

He grab the ball, trying to think of some way he can impress Aizawa. He can beat the others, but how?

 

There's a little tap on the side his head. "Let _us_ handle the throwing," the three inklings whisper to him, and he can hear pride and a plan in there.

 

Aizawa must've really made an impression if they want him to shine.

 

"Here goes nothing," Izuku whispers as he gets into a pitching stance (baseball is boring to watch, but he has to start somewhere for references).

 

The moment he feels the ball come close he feels ink come down and around his arm. After he feels it goes flying and looks at his hand, he realizes that they made his hand into some sort of canon.

 

Judging by the new indent reported some hundred feet past Bakugo ( _HA!_ ), his ball went far. And now he has a few more people added to his audience.

 

Now it's just time to wait on their scores. Which is terrifying.

 

"You did great, sweetie, and if he don't notice it, he won't have ya this year." Alice.

 

"I'll give 'm a piece of mah mind if 'e don't see yo commitment to heroin'. Hell, ya already got ta experience villain attacks, too!" Bendy. ( _Not helping!_ )

 

"Ya got this!" Thanks Boris, because that is _exactly_ how comforting works.

 

The scores are finally up, which causes most to sigh in relief. The top ten aren't surprising, and really it should be expected that Bakugo is up at the top three. But he’s

 

" _Fourteenth_!" He can feel his eyes water because he's safe. ( _Someone_ thinks he has potential! _Someone_ thinks _I_ can do this! _Eraserhead_ thinks I can do this oh my gOD--)

 

"Mineta Minoru." Eraserhead's (can't believe he's _HERE_ teaching _US_ _wow_ oh uh) tone is calm, monotone, not a single emotion other than disappointment shown.

 

The kid - it's that short kid, the one who was a blur during side steps - eeps at the sudden attention, both from students and Aizawa. "Y-yes?"

 

It’s here, Izuku realizes later on, that this is the course that separates him from the other classes. This is the course that’s going to force Izuku out of his comfort zone and into the frantic zone that he wants to throw himself in. This is where heroes who, under Aizawa-san, either make it.

 

“Get your stuff, all of it. Pack it up. And meet me at the principal’s office.” Despite the kid’s horrified expression, Aizawa doesn’t even look phased.

 

Or break it.

 

“You’re going home.”

 

* * *

 

Izuku droops like how ink does, wondering if he could sink into the ground and meet his other creations. “I’m so pooped, I could die…”

 

“And ya’re a party poopa, Zu Zu.”

 

“Shut it, Bendy.”

 

“Who are you talking to, Midoriya?” Such an innocent question makes Izuku’s feet fly right off the ground and rocket him to the moon, his hair falling off while he’s at it. At least he can tell by the blocky hand on his shoulder ( _off off off get_ _off GET **OFF**_ ) that it’s Iida questioning him.

 

But it’s like Iida’s a mind reader, because he pulls his hand off at the speed of sound. “Ah, I’m sorry! I-I was only curious! I-I mean—“

 

“Nononono! No it’s okay you meant no harm it’s alright,” Izuku goes on for a bit, waving his hands like an idiot as he hears his voice get a pitch higher and higher with each "no”. “I-I was-wasn’t —"

 

“He was talkin’ ta us!” And suddenly there are three individual weights of tiny Bendy, Boris, and Alice on his shoulders.

 

He can feel Iida stiffen, and he’s so upset. So upset they did this, that they betrayed him and revealed themselves in front of a possible _friends no no **not again**_ -

 

“OH MY GOD THEY’RE SO _CUTE_!”

 

Izuku is caught so off-guard by the girl (what is with her and _posing?_ ) that he jumps again. Iida jumps too, but he turns to the girl, saying, “You’re right, Uraraka! They seem so… small. Though I don’t mean to offend either of you three—“

 

“CAN I HAVE ONE OF THEM?!”

 

Izuku almost says yes (girl girl girl girl girl _HOLy SHIT giRL_ ) but shouts instead, “NO! Er, I mean—“

 

Uraraka laughs at his probably-blatantly-fearful expression. “I was just teasing you! I would know that face-“ she points to Bendy, who lights up at the recognition “- from anywhere!"

 

 _His first friends_ he thinks with pride as they give him their numbers (thanks Alice). His actual first friends who don’t give him shit for his Quirk.

 

“Izuku!? Why are you cry— What's going on?!”

 

“It’s just a natural reaction from stress, don’ worry.”

 

“S-shut up, B-bendy.”

 

* * *

 

“Welcome home, sweetie!” His mom squeezes him in the tight hug as he enters the kitchen. “How was sch— IZU, YOUR EYES!”

 

Izuku gives a sniffle before he remembers why. “O-oh! Sorry, ma.” He gives a sheepish smile, hoping it projects his happiness. “I… I made some friends. A-a girl who uses gravity - sorta like you, ma - and a boy who can go really fast like Ingenium.”

 

Mom’s silent before her eyes get watery. “Here we go again,” Bendy chuckles as he slides out of Izuku’s hair.

 

“MY BABY _BOY_!” She sobs as she holds onto her son for dear life. “HE’S FINALLY GOT FRIENDS!”

 

“M-ma—“ Okay, he had friends (lie), it's not anything to celebrate over!

 

“Tell me more about them! I want to know if they’re worthy enough for a night here.”

 

“Ma!”

 

“None of that, sweet cheeks.” His mom pulls away as she points at him in mocking anger. (Her smile really gives her away.) “Now spill.”

 

Izuku is so focused on telling his mother all about today that he doesn’t notice how his inklings, especially Bendy, are crying, noting this day to be a special one for their creator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so chapter 4 is looking to be different due to the fact that I'm changing it up again (we can't kill off a character we introduced a few chapters ago lol), so we won't be seeing Alice's other form (or will we? don't count on me to be right on my predictions I am all over the place) any time soon. Brownie points for those who get the _bizarre_ reference.
> 
> mineta's expulsion was to show the class that aizawa isn't fucking around here, if he doesn't see that you can do it you're out (which we'll go back on a tiny bit later (and would probably be seen in "Part" 2 if I ever get to that if you can't tell I really did enjoy everything from the Forest Camp to now in the manga))
> 
> but hopefully somewhere this week I can get it posted, but you might see it next week seeing as this week and the beginning of next week is projects & finals (fuck school why can't y'all have finals on the same day WHY DO I HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT FOR PSYCH UGH).
> 
> i hope y'all enjoyed today's chapter and have a good mother's day!


	4. I Don't Look For Trouble But Trouble Looks For Me (A Story of Izuku's Life)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i'm still not over Infinity War. Ouch, Marvel, ouch.
> 
> I'm pretty sure y'all are like "Okay but didn't you say you were going to have this up later?" and yeah! I should've! But when stress eats my soul out, I end up writing a lot. Which... is about two chapters, starts of future ones, and a rewrite of this chapter. Hehehe... help.
> 
> Also when life gives you lemons ~~fuck you Marvel~~ you think of a crossover where Izuku is in the current Marvel situation and probably sees Thanos. Thumbs up for angst.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy the chapter and THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT!

Day number two of being at UA isn’t that bad.

 

Thanks to Uraraka and Iida, he’s more confident in showing off the three to the rest. It’s nice, not being rejected for what he was (what he could’ve been). However, there’s a problem.

 

“Hey Izuku, can I get one of them?”

 

“I want to hold one of them.”

 

“I may be the prettiest thing on Earth, but nothing can compare to the mademoiselle~☆”

 

“O-m-g, I am LOOOVE! Can I hold onto Bendy?”

 

“Er, kids?” Present Mic looks a little affronted by the distraction (which has been ongoing since after homeroom). “I need an answer for question three.”

 

“It’s answer c.” Izuku answers quickly before the hero starts yelling at them. He does not want to have another Eraserhead incident, thank you very much.

 

Lunch is rather squished ( _MOVE CAN YOU PLEASE MOVE GOD_ ), as he can count almost a third of the class being with them. He’s glad that Iida and Uraraka are there with him, as this is a little intense.

 

And also a little embarrassing, because _someone_ asked Boris if he could rhyme. “Why, I could bet me bones for some good ol’ tones right about now!” The dog says with glee, and with that Jiro grabs her IPhone (such convenience, what with her Quirk) for the dog to use.

 

As he tries to tune out Boris’s awful singing - “Wow, Boris, that’s amazing!” Kaminari’s eyes are shining too brightly for comfort - he turns to Iida, hoping to start a different conversation. “S-so, who do you think is going to teach Hero Training?” _Hopefully All Might, seeing as he’s the leading hero in the world and an incoming teacher._

 

“Hmm…” Iida is deep in thought; he’s not the only one when Izuku looks at everyone else. “Perhaps Aizawa-sensei?”

 

The pink girl, Ashido, shudders. “I hope not. He gives me the hebbie jebbies.” Each of them nods in agreement, hoping to god that he isn't (yes? no? he can’t tell if tooru is).

 

“What about All Might?” He’s a little surprised that no one brought him up.

 

Judging by the stares he’s getting from not only his class, but various bystanders, no one was going to guess him. “Eh? W-what’s wrong?” Now this is awkward.

 

The lunchroom explodes with chatter over the topic. Poor Lunch Rush looks like he’s about to run and hide with how loud it is. He doesn’t blame him.

 

He can’t help but wonder aloud if he was the only one who knew that All Might was going to teach.

 

“Guess we really made an impression on the guy, huh?” Bendy gives him a cheeky grin (not like it ever goes away) as Class 1-A heads back to their classroom.

 

—

 

“I want to die,” Izuku says through muffled gloves, horrified by how awful his mess of an outfit is.

 

He’s covered in paper everywhere except his feet, head, and hands, which is uncomfortable and makes his body scream for air. His hands are in tight leaden gloves, heavy and squeezing him a little too much for his taste. He wears no helmet, which miiight pose a problem if someone aims for his head ( _I’m going to eat those words aren’t I_ ). His boots are his only comfort, being similar to Bakugo’s (complete accident he wanted comfortable shoes) and being nice and soft inside. Thank mankind for memory foam, because these were a bitch to put on.

 

“Let’s test the boots out, boss!” Bendy giggles in his hair, and Izuku has to quiet his groan. Because of _course_ the demon wouldn’t forget his addition: pencils that can fly out of his boots.

 

Why is it that his outfit seems so similar to Bakugo and his Quirk?

 

“I’d rather not hurt or kill anyone, thanks.” He flicks at his hair, Bendy’s giggling getting slightly louder.

 

All Might in all of his beautiful nearly-eight-feet glory is explaining the rules of this battle trial to them. A weird setup, but essentially it’s a two-v-two heroes versus villains trial picked randomly via drawing lots (he will refrain from asking the almighty hero why he’s using a cheat sheet). The villains are to keep their nuclear weapon hidden or possibly take out the heroes, while the heroes do the finding or the capturing. This sounds relatively easy!

 

It’s going well for the first minute. Izuku’s paired up with Uraraka, so he at least knows who and what he’s working with. He ignores the teasing from the kettle as they await their team choices.

 

And fuck him and his whole life, what is with the universe pairing him and _Bakugo_ with each other?!

 

They’re given blueprints, but Izuku can’t focus on anything other than his impending doom. He can barely hear her sigh in relief over something, but then she shouts in his ear (ow), “WOW! ARE YOU SURE YOU’RE OKAY FOR THIS?”

 

“PLUS ULTRA!” He shouts as his nerves skyrocket at the idea of heading inside.

 

“OH, I SEE, WE’RE GONNA SHOUT OUR NERVES AWAY! PLUS ULTRA!” And there she goes, doing more of that ridiculous posing. At least it’s calming him down a little.

 

“...W-we should start planing.”

 

“Right.”

 

—

 

“Succesful infiltration!” Uraraka whispers softly as Izuku checks both hallways for Bakugo. Knowing him, he’s most likely already homing in on them.

 

Out of habit, he relays back his instructions, “When you see him—“

 

“Run in and look for the bomb.” She gives a thumbs up before looking up in shock. “Behind you!”

 

Izuku can’t react fast enough before he feels his face smash into the wall they just entered. Uraraka squeals as ink (blood) drips off and away from his head, four voices groaning at the collision. “G-get going, Ura...” he groans out before pulling himself out of the wall to face his opponent.

 

“He’s gonna pay for that.” Bendy hisses as they start booking it towards Bakugo. A death wish, sure, but Izuku needs to distract the boy from Uraraka.

 

“Finally done with running away, huh?!” He releases an explosion in front of his face, but he’s dealt with that more than enough times to know that he’s heading right into —

 

“Urp!” He barely has time to breathe before a knee goes into his gut.

 

“Izuku!” Damnit, Uraraka!

 

“Boris, go with her!” He wheezingly orders the dog to get his partner out of here before she becomes collateral. “Get her out of here!”

 

“Be safe, boss!” Yeah, that’s not going to happen.

 

Boris barely makes it past an explosive fist of the villain (let him label the other that for now) before his inky form is dragging the girl out past the hallway. Good.

 

Too bad he has to deal with this fucker still, as now he’s going to flip him over. Thank god for the pencils and them being dull, as when Izuku presses down on the switch in his boots they nail the boy in the stomach. He goes down, giving Izuku enough time to aim a (pathetic) punch at him.

 

Which Bakugo catches. Looking at the boy sends him spiraling into panic, because the kid has the crazed-eye look. That means he’s gonna get serious. “Didn’t think you’d be that smart and take a page from me, huh?!” He creates an explosion in his hand, making Izuku yelp in pain as it burns at his glove. “Well too bad, Deku, because I’m not a fucking merciful angel like that bitch of yours! You’re—“

 

Izuku feels himself being lifted, and he prepares for the throw.

 

“—going out of the fucking ballpark, whether you fucking care or not!”

 

_What is with him and walls today?_ First it was when they entered, and now right this moment. Is there some meaning to this, or has he been banged up too much that he’s going too into depth with his life?

 

Well, now is _not_ the time to think about that. It’s best just to take this moment to run while he can.

 

“Izuku?” His friend’s voice whispers at him, almost too hard to hear over Bakugo’s screech of “DEKU!” “We found the bomb! It’s on the fifth floor!”

 

“Good, that’s good! Now see about—“

 

“PFFT!” Two sets of laughs explode from the other side, though from what he doesn’t know. “He-he-oops.”

 

“Uraraka! Boris!” He hisses into the mic, almost stopping in his tracks to lecture them for being found out so easily.

 

“I’ll help them, you keep running!” And there goes Alice, taking the piece and growing smaller and smaller alongside her voice as she takes a detour to the right. “Listen to me, you two, or you’re going to…”

 

“Just me an’ you, boss,” Bendy tells him as they hide behind a wall. “Sink or swim. What’s the plan now?”

 

He’s most likely going to be swimming, but now is not the time for that. _Think, Izuku, think! He’s only aiming for me, so there’s no worry for Uraraka. Alice is out of the picture unless he decides to take her on. Crossing fingers on that to be a no. Bendy’s left with me, so maybe we can trap him—_

 

“Bendy, do me a favor and take this.” He holds his hand up to his hair (wow that is totally not weird at all please don’t note them for this) as he hands the inkling the capture tape.

 

“Whatcha need me to do with this?”

 

“While he’s distracted, capture him with this. Remember the rules?”

 

“Oh- OHHHH.” Bendy slithers out, tape in hand, briefly returning to his solid form to give him a smirk before hiding in the shadows. “Gotcha, gotcha. I’ll stay here and you over there.”

 

“Yep.”

 

He knows what’s next, so he adds, “I’ll be careful, Bendy. I know what I’m doing.”

 

“… I hope so.” And then the inkling is hidden in the shadows, silent as he can be.

 

_Click, clack, click, clack._

 

Izuku can’t help but be proud of how quiet he is despite his heart nearly becoming one with Bakugo’s explosions. He’s going to die, but at least he had a friend go down with him.

 

“Hey, Deku,” the boy drawls his nickname as he comes across the corner. Because of course this boy is a fucking dog and can sniff out his fear. “Done with hiding now? Or do you still have tricks up your sleeve?”

 

Okay, Bluff Time. “I-I’m not afraid of you anymore!” He tries to seem stern, serious, determined, _something_ , but he can’t help the waver in his voice. Bakugo was a bully for a good reason. “I-I’m not going to run away from you!”

 

It gets a weird chuckle (laugh? what does he call that ominous sound?) out of the kid. “Well then…” He lifts up an arm, a weird, terrifying omen of fear creating a shudder over him. “You would know this from your weird-ass stalking, but you know how my hands sweat something like nitroglycerin. You know, key to my explosions?”

 

He does not like where this is going, but oh well. “And?” He tilts his head, still not clicking two and two together. Because he can make analysis off of years of studying a person’s actions, but not on the spot with people like Bakugo.

 

“‘ssuming they’ve honored my request, these gauntlets—“ There is a click and _oh my fucking god those are Bakugo-brand_ grenades _holy fuck_ — “have been storing up those fluids—“

 

_THEY WEREN’T FOR DECORATION - DAMNIT, IZUKU, THIS IS BAKUGO WE’RE DEALING WITH! WHY WOULD HE MAKE_ DECORATIONS _A PART OF HIS OUTFIT?!_

 

All Might’s voice rings throughout the floor. “BAKUGO, YOU ARE TO STOP IMMEDIATELY! YOU ARE GOING TO—"

 

“HE WON’T DIE IF IT’S NOT A DIRECT HIT!” _YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE SURE IT IS, DUMBASS!_

 

The room goes white as it blows Izuku’s body into another fucking wall - does he have a concussion yet? no? - most likely taking out a huge chunk of the building. Hopefully none of his friends are hurt by it, but judging Bakugo it’s a birthday surprise only for him.

 

“W-why… why would they… give you _that_?” That is literally the number one way to get yourself a ticket out of here. Bakugo’ll be lucky to leave the school without an expulsion for attempting to kill him.

 

“Come on, Deku,” the boy drawls from within the dust cloud, who knows what his face looks like. “Use your Quirk.

 

“I wanna crush you... and make you realize who  _really_ is the superior here!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had originally had Angel go after Bakugo with a gun (remember that Tommy Gun from the game? That might make a return, who knows), but I was like "mm this chapter is a fucking mess nah". So I rewrote it to this (the walls thing is something I tend to do, though not necessarily with walls). Another tidbit featuring Shigaraki and Kuro was supposed to be at the end of last chapter, but I held off with that. We'll see where that goes later >:3c
> 
> I decided to split this part into two because I like keeping them short (and because I was sorta following the manga and made the ending like this i can't do fight scenes for long). 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and tune in... a day or two for the next chapter! Yea...
> 
> Edit: while in the middle of posting this chapter (it was supposed to go up earlier but damn school wifi) i was like wait, i feel like walls is a thing with him
> 
> and then i searched online & on my computer for him [doing that against the hero killer](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/419767939357474816/446087842616311808/Screen20Shot202017-10-2520at207.png). Guess I was right lol


	5. Devil Went Down to Georgia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something I noticed was “wait, don’t the cartoons show that Bendy and Boris don’t like each other much?” but the more i think about that the more i’m like fuck that this is my fic now. I swear, every time I start writing a fic that follows canon, I end up realizing some chapters later that this is an au and doesn’t necessarily have to follow the rules.
> 
> Speaking of remembering this is an AU: I realized what exactly I want to do with Bakugo and the Kamino Ward portion. It’s actually going to be interesting with how I “develop” Bakugo, as I don’t know how im gonna get this idea done especially with how he's been for like... 15, 16 years, but I think it’ll be an interesting way of ending the thing. I’m probably gonna add a part 2, but at this point? I don’t really see a need to unless I really wanna go with the Eri part. The entire thing with Sir… Idk how I’m gonna get that through with him. ~~unless I wanna throw him with Fat Gum or Ryukyu~~
> 
> If you can't tell, I love Devil Went Down to Georgia. Gotta thank Guitar Hero for that version; it's great. I am definitely not going to stop pushing people to listen to it.
> 
> Anyways, enough with the words! Let's get on with the show!

Bakugo laughs at the explosion he’s caused, a feral grin crossing his entire face. “C’mon, Deku, show me what you got! You’re not dead yet, so you obviously can take another hit!”

 

“I REPEAT! BAKUGO KATSUKI, DO NOT USE THOSE BOMBS AGAIN!” All Might frantically cries out, and honestly? Izuku can’t help but agree.

 

“ZU ZU!” There’s a screech behind Bakugo, a black blur of Bendy attempting to take out Bakugo with a good punch.

 

If only he had been more quieter, he could’ve gotten him! “Fuck off, useless bug!” He explodes Bendy’s torso, effectively stopping the poor guy from making any moves of taking him out.

 

Izuku shields his eyes as the hulking body falls down on him, perfectly going around the boy. “B-Bendy!” He tries scrambling after the inkling, only to feel a punch right to his face. “Guh! B-bastahd - ACK!” He bites his tongue as the back of his head hits the damn wall ( _can you stop it with them damnit?!_ ).

 

There’s another set of hysterical chuckles coming from the jackass. “Did you really fucking think that you could use an underling to get to me!?” He grabs Bendy’s head, smashing it into the floor with glee. “’s what you get for trying, useless bug!”

 

“S-stop it!” Izuku cries out, trying to drag his weak body out of the wall. “L-leave hi-him alone!”

 

“He won’t die, idiot!” Another smash to the floor, and Bendy’s body slowly turns into a puddle of ink. “Heh. Talk about weak.”

 

“He isn’t weak! My Quirk just can’t handle yours!”

 

“Shut up, Deku!” He growls at Izuku, grabbing his suit's ruined collar to bring him up to his face. “Now listen to me. I said fucking  _fight_ me, you useless shit, not throw your fucking underlings at me!”

 

“I-I am!” Izuku struggles and wiggles in the bastard’s grasp because how on god’s green Earth is he supposed to fucking fight?! That’s not how his Quirk works! “M-my Quirk r-relies on crea- HURK!”

 

Izuku can barely breath, an explosive-filled punch nailing him nicely in the gut. God, he hates how _weak_ he is, how Bakugo can beat him up so much like before! “Hey hey hey, no sleeping on ME!” Bakugo flips his entire body over, smashing his back hard into the ground. Izuku can feel blood coming out as he coughs and hacks, trying to breathe correctly. “You don’t fucking  _dare_ do that shit again, or you can say goodbye to Bug Boy down there!”

 

“ _YOU_!” Bendy growls from somewhere, but it’s so weak, Izuku fears the poor child won’t get out of this alive. “Leave. Zu Zu.  _ALONE_!”

 

He tries to reach for Bendy, knowing full well he won’t survive if he keeps agitating Bakugo, but there’s an explosion in front of his face, effectively blinding him silly. Since he can’t see anything, he can’t see the punch coming for his face.  _God, why couldn’t I have designed some protection for my head? Oh wait, that’s right, I DIDN’T PLAN FOR_ HIM _!_

 

“Here we go, a favorite of yours! My right hook!”

 

He can’t even react to the chop to his arm, too dazed to understand what’s going on before that hand grabs him - he bites on his tongue as he feels tiny explosions ripple across the palm on his arm - and throws him quite nicely onto the floor. He hears a crack, and it’s all he can do from crying right there in front of the asshole. There’s a screech of surprise and anger from somewhere, but an explosion silences it.

 

_God… damnit!_ Despairing thoughts race through his head as Izuku tries so fucking hard to get up, only to fall back down harshly on his right. Once again someone ( _BENDY NO!_ ) comes at Bakugo, only to be blown up again.  _Why can’t I get him!? Am I too weak, or is it the disparity in our Quirks?!_ He scrunches his hand together, trying to push himself up only for a foot to grind hard on his chest. _God fucking damnit, I just want to be a hero!_

 

“C’mon, Deku, use that fucking Quirk of yours!” Oh, so _now_ he’s acknowledging he has a Quirk. “It’s time you quit fucking mocking me like you’ve always done and fucking duke it out!”

 

Izuku stops moving, feeling time slow down around him as he processes the words.  _Mocking? Me?_

 

“I know you’re fucking looking down on me every day, jackass!”

 

_Looking DOWN?! EVERY_ DAY _?!_

 

“Who…”

 

“Eh?” Bakugo quirks an eye, clearly surprised by Izuku speaking so suddenly. “Who _what_ , Deku?"

 

"WHO THE FUCK IS MOCKING YOU, FUCKER?!” Izuku feels his anger take over, a haze harshly taking over his mind as he forces himself off the floor to smack his face against the other’s hanging one.

 

He’s so sick of this, being the punching bag for Bakugo, when all he ever wanted was to be like _him_! Bakugo, who was aiming to be a hero like All Might, to be the number one hero! They all did! What made him _different_?! Why target _him_ , when all he wanted to do was to work with Bakugo and become top heroes together!?

 

“NOW WE’RE TALKING!” Bakugo screams back at him, a little muffled from the nice bloody nose he earned, but Izuku doesn’t care about him. Doesn’t care that this asshole is _now_ going to take him seriously. Doesn’t care that he’s about to rip this motherfucker a new one.

 

“I’M GOING TO FUCKING END YOU, KATSUKI!” His voice is distorted, but all Izuku cares about is taking out Bakugo, who’s backing up from the whack Izuku just gave him.

 

“BOTH OF YOU, STOP THIS AT ONCE! THE TRIAL IS OVER!”

 

The two of them ignore All Might and whatever he’s saying, though that’s the last Izuku can hear from the outside before their screams overpower the man’s voice. At this point Izuku doesn’t even know what he’s doing, just punching and kicking at the other. He’s not sure where this surge in strength came from, but he’ll gladly take this. “EAT THIS, YOU FUCKER!” He nails Bakugo right in his perfect face, causing a rain of blood from the boy’s nose. He can’t help the little grin that comes with the punch.

 

Bakugo stumbles back up, but he’s amped up, his mouth all teeth and fiery instinct to fight. “Find better insults, Deku!” He screeches happily, getting Izuku right in the chest.

 

Briefly Izuku can feel the pain of the wind being knocked out of him, but that doesn’t stop him. “Well of course I don’t know any decent insults!” A roundhouse kick to the guy’s chest, though it doesn’t exactly cause any damage. It irritates him. “That’s cuz I learned from the best insult to the world: YOU!”

 

The jackass snarls as he returns the kick with a rising explosive hook. “Obviously you haven’t learned the best from me: step. The fuck. _DOWN_!” Another vicious kick, this time a thrust to Izuku’s leg. But Izuku grabs onto it, biting down and holding on for dear life.

 

“THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT! I TOLD YOU YOU WERE STRONGER THAN YOU WERE, BUT YOU WERE FUCKING MOCKING ME!” Bakugo seems a little hysterical, his grin wobbling in response to the pain, but he is dead set on this.

 

“SHUT THE FUCK  _UP_!” With strength he didn’t even know (or bother) about, he throws him into a wall. “I DON’T FUCKING  _CARE_ ABOUT HOW YOU FUCKING FEEL ABOUT ME, BUT I HAVE BEEN FUCKING TRYING TO CATCH UP TO YOU FOR YEARS!

 

“DON’T FUCKING SAY THAT ALL THIS TIME I’VE BEEN MOCKING YOUR ASS WHEN YOU’VE BEEN DOING THAT TO ME!”

 

“That’s what I’m talking about…” He can’t hear anything, he’s just anger and this is for Bendy. This is all for his inklings. This is to prove this son of a bitch he’s wrong. The bastard fucking gets up, and Izuku lets out an inhumane growl (will he remember that? who knows). “THIS IS WHAT I MEAN!

 

“COME AT ME, DEKU, WITH ALL YOU’VE GOT!”

 

Izuku is so furious, he can’t help the snarling “BAKUGO!” as he rushes towards his target. _DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE YOU MOTHERFUCKER_ ** _DIE!_**

 

Something hits him _hard_ (a kick?) from behind.

 

“Whu…?” Izuku blinks, feeling all of his strength disappear at once as his body registers the pain of the sneak attack. He barely hears someone scream in anger before his head hits the floor hard, seeing the world fall and turn to black.

 

* * *

 

_“… swear, you brat, you’re awful…. could’ve gotten killed them at this rate…”_

 

_“An honest mistake! The trial was random…. didn’t even know this could happen…”_

 

_“Well next time …. harder before you put someone in Midoriya's shoes.”_

 

_“Yes ma’am…”_

 

“ZU ZU!”

 

“GEH!” Izuku rushes his head forward, not even recognizing that perhaps someone might be above him. “Ow ow ow ow-“

 

“Ouchie! Tha’ hurt!” It’s Boris, rubbing his head because he thought putting your head over someone unconcious wouldn’t lead to any problems. At least he's smiling. “Ya feelin’ better?”

 

“I… sort of?” He rubs his head, the oncoming mantra of “ow ow ow” reappearing before he remembers — “BENDY! Where is he, Bor?! Is he okay?"

 

“Before you kill yourself, look to your right, on the counter.” Something points in the corner of his eye, making him look as well. Sure enough, there’s Bendy, bruised and missing parts of himself but asleep (and alive). “Barely in one piece, especially with that hell of a fight.”

 

“Sorr - ow ow ow ow ow ow.” He tries getting off the bed, only for his body to collapse before he can make a stand. “H-how… how bad?"

 

Recovery Girl (who else even is here besides her?) scoffs as she places a kiss on his forehead. The pain goes away somewhat, but not without making Izuku more tired than before. “I should really keep you in here if you decide to do that shit again,” she grumbles before rattling off his injuries, not even caring if she hit a nerve or not. “Broken right arm, sensitive due to a layer being burned off towards the elbow. Back hurt somewhat from the throwing you two idiots did, but somehow not enough to paralyze or damage your spine. Absolute bullshit, mind you, and not something I would want to heal due to your idiotic decisions.”

 

Izuku can’t help but wince at her monotone voice, knowing how dead he really would be if she wasn’t here. “A-anything else?” He whimpers out, wondering if there is more to the lecture.

 

“ZU ZU!” Before she can respond, a body decides to jump onto him, making Recovery shout “I wasn’t finished!” as they make his body groan in protest. It’s Alice, who gets off of him quickly once she hears him grunting, rushing with her words, “Sorry, sorry! Keep forgettin’ ya’re in terrible shape! I would yell, but… that’s for the other people.”

 

The old hero sighs and shakes her head in the corner of his eye. “I swear, it never gets old with children like you two. Keep it up and you’ll go taking half the school with you.”

 

He can’t help but be quiet at the hero as she lists what he should do to take care of his arm. Alice is nice enough not to join with the lecture. With a _thwack_ of her cane on his arm (shit that hurt a _LOT_ ), she sends them off to his classroom to get his bag and strict instructions to “head right back home, no detours and no fighting”. “I better not see you back here tomorrow, got it?” Recovery Girl glares at him in such a manner he thinks of Aizawa. _Wonder if she taught him to do that or it’s just a thing with heroes here._

 

Oh well. At least he has all of his inky friends in one piece (it’s okay, this he can handle, he can fix them up as quick as a rabbit).

 

‘ _God, what a bitch._ ’ Izuku squeals at the insult thrown at the woman as well as Bendy’s sudden awakening. Bakugo ( _disgusting awful evil ew ew ew wait_ what) really is a bad influence on Bendy. ‘ _What? It’s not like you haven’t heard the word bitch before_.’

 

‘ _Yes, but that doesn’t mean you can insult people for just doing their job!_ ’ He starts ignoring the trio as they get into another fist fight, sighing at the fact that he’s going to have to fix up two more inklings.

 

_Why is my life like this._

 

“Hey, guys! Midoriya’s made it back in one piece!”

 

The moment the door opens is the moment his quiet world explodes back into noise, curtesy of Tooru. It scares him because he’s been walking to his classroom for some minutes and then they’re _still here_ (not to mention something invisible just opens the door), but it’s… comforting, in a sense.

 

“That was so _cool_ , dude! I was so effin’ pumped after seeing you two fight!” The tall guy in that yellow suit introduces himself as Sato as he shouts excitedly at his face. Ashido and Kaminari nod at him, grins on their faces that match Sato’s.

 

“You should’ve seen Bakugo’s face afterwards! He was so pissed, I think he was gonna murder you the next time he sees you!” Great, Kirishima, that is _completely_ and _absolutely_ nice of you.

 

‘ _These kids are gonna kill Zu Zu before Bakugo ever does._ ’ He barely catches Alice’s grating sigh over the rambunctious children before he packs the page carefully into his bag.

 

“Ah, Izuku! How’s your arm?” Uraraka is there, too, but she’s okay at least. “Besides it being broken.”

 

“Don’t forget about Bendy, too!” Iida calls from his position near Tokoyami, returning to lecturing the raven boy with such enthusiasm the boy is already long gone.

 

He can’t help the nervous chuckle as he rubs the back of his head. “Just a week or so of regular healing, though Recovery wants me to come back the next few days to speed up the process. As for Bendy - I can fix him up lickity split! Though I might have a problem with how my arm is, well, broken somewhat.”

 

“That’s great!” Izuku swears he can hear Kaminari going “It’s greeeeaat!” somewhere in the background.

 

“So, what happened while I was out?” They’re all walking out of the classroom, at least two thirds of the class chattering alongside him and his best friends.

 

Iida moves his hands around sporadically, unknowingly nailing Kirishima in the head. “You mean you don’t remember?” The boy asks as Kirishima simply laughs at the hit.

 

“Hmm…” Izuku tries to think back, but all he can see is darkness slowly encompassing his sight during the mockening. “No, not a thing. Should I have?”

 

“You should have!” Uraraka bounces around him, a cheery smile all around as she steps on a few pairs of feet. “Ah, sorry there. But you were like ‘Rawr, Bakugo, I’m gonna end you’ and Bakugo was like ‘Fuck yeah let’s go just one on two’ and then SPLATATATATA! It was like a mud fight! Only a lot more dangerous than it should be. I know that last part since me and Iida were heading your way - we won, by the way - but we learned the rest of it from the others who were watching.”

 

Oh wow. “I-I didn’t hurt him, did I?” Because _now_ he remembers that he should care for him. Even if he isn’t, he one hundred precent had it coming.

 

“Not as badly as he did you,” Kirishima states simply, his grin faltering slightly. “Oh, this is where I go. Seeya, guys!”

 

“OH MY GOD!” Uraraka slaps her hands onto her cheeks, slowly levitating off the street. “I missed my exit!” She releases herself before dashing off. “See you guys tomorrow!”

 

As Izuku walks to the station and his classmates leave him one by one, he can’t help but smile at the prospect of having a significant amount of friends he’s made compared to just a year ago. Sure, it cost him an arm and a leg in the literal sense, but it earned their respect quite fast. 

* * *

 

“Izuku Midoriya.” His mom whispers his name as he enters the kitchen, catching him in the act of throwing his backpack in the air. Can his mom wait to scare him when he doesn’t have an itching body to work around? “Care to explain the injuries?”

 

_Lie lie lie lie_ — “I fought Bakugo and he broke my arm.” _NAILED IT._

 

There’s some peace and quiet that his mother gives him as she breathes in and out deeply. _Oh boy_. He can feel ink slip from his hair, and he quickly swipes at them. _Please speak please speak please sp—_

 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HE BROKE YOUR ARM?!” She starts shaking him violently, ignoring his mantra of “ow ow ow”. “DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AFTERWARDS?! IF HE’S EXPELLED OR—“

 

“Mom I don’t—“

 

“I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN HE WOULD DO THIS, I SHOULD’VE—“

 

“MOM!” She finally looks at her, tears in her eyes. “I-Sorry. But I don’t know. A-as far as I know… they probably didn’t… do anything.”

 

Like they always do.

 

His mom hugs him, tears slowly coming down both their faces. “I’m so sorry, Izuku…”

 

Dinner is a quiet occasion tonight, and Izuku can’t stop the silent tears that still come down even after they’ve dried up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That hero suit is fucking done. Remember kids: don't use paper like this idiot.
> 
> To Jazzy: thank you for the idea! I now have a better idea of where I want this to go (goes back on what I said earlier concerning Bakugo). Won't say which idea it is; gotta keep y'all in the suspense.
> 
> I wrote this out... three, four times, not liking the first two and just being like you know what, let's make this fight a little longer. So I smashed my last two versions together, and... I mean, it's decent? I've never worked with fighting scenes, as I kinda focus on angst more than anything, but I think this'll help me out with that. (gotta love them references)
> 
> My explanation concerning the sudden addition to the quirk: it's more or less of a "I'm in deep shit and I need help" kind of thing. I can't remember which Bendy fic it was that inspired the idea, but I liked the idea a little too much to get rid of it (it was also based on a HC I had for Henry, MC of B&tIM, that whenever he ate what I thought was ink he was slowly becoming more like ink.). It's solely for combat and comes with the added benefit of tiring Izuku out. I'm sorry, did I say benefit? I mean wow how is he not dead yet. This also comes with the fact that he cannot create anything from it (so no Searchers or anything), as it's solely focused on defending and attacking. Yes, he will be developing this idea more in a later arc, but which arc it is is also very obvious. (oh my god you do not know how awed I am by how versatile this Quirk is - it's like Momo & Tokoyami's combined) Ik the quirk suddenly seems really powerful, but I'll bring up the weaknesses in a later chapter.
> 
> Thank you guys so much for the support (this is now my biggest hit of a fic, especially in such a short timeframe! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!) and we'll see what happened to Bakugo in the next chapter!


	6. They Will Stop Degrading Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ACK I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT THIS
> 
> Also wow I am actually really into this? I think the last time I was into this was, like, last year with The Voice. But even then I didn't have to look back into the damn shit and be like howst the fuckth do I do this? Write this? and then just rewrite it again (I need to find the next chapter and get that part edited). Or maybe it was Rain, i don't remember. Anyways! I'm probs gonna be a bit busy, since this'll be my last week of actual school and then next week I graduate! HELL YEAH!
> 
> And then I'm gonna b busy with other shit, so who knows if I might be this active again.
> 
> Anyways, thank you guys so much for the support, and here's the next chapter!

This morning is the most awfulest thing in Izuku’s life.

 

“WHAT’S IT LIKE LEARNING FROM ALL MIGHT?!”

 

“TELL US ABOUT HOW HE WORKS, HOW HE IS, AND WHAT HIS MUSCLES LOOK LIKE!”

 

“C'MON, KID, GIVE US THE DETS! WE’LL PAY YOU HANDSOMELY IF YOU DO!”

 

“I RECOGNIZE YOU! YOU’RE THAT KID THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE SLUDGE INCIDENT!”

 

Izuku wants to fucking vomit everywhere, and the media is not fucking help a bit. They crowd in on him with their mics in his face, some putting their hands on his shoulders or trying to drag him back via his backpack (OFF OFF GET OFF PLEASE FUCKING HELL OFF GET BACK _EW EW EW EW MOM IT’S AWFUL HELP_ ). The three inklings can only scare so many off before they start crowding him. It’s just a fucking dandy day.

 

Someone save him from these assholes.

 

“Midoriya.” He knows that bored voice, and god is he grateful he’s here. “Get in here now.”

 

“HEY, YOU’RE THAT ERASERHEAD GUY WHO EXPELS KIDS!”

 

“YOU’RE A MESS! HOW ARE YOU EVEN A TEACHER?!”

 

"WE WANT A DIRECT INTERVIEW WITH ALL MIGHT!”

 

The voices start to titter off into the rambunctious sound of his school, which leaves him slightly better off. “T-th-thank you, A-aizawa-senEEK!” He jumps as the gate snaps shut behind him. At least the noise has died down a lot. “Thanks, sensei…”

 

He just grunts, gesturing him to get going.

 

“Ugh! They got dust all over us!” Bendy huffs as Boris starts blowing it away. “Not sure what the hell this is, but YEET!”

 

“Bendy, don’t use references like that…” Izuku hangs his head as something goes flying off his shoulder. What a morning.

 

And he still doesn’t know what happened to Bakugo yesterday.

 

—

 

The classroom is just as chattery an loud as it always is, except there's another empty chair. "Wonder where that brat went," Alice hisses, which is exactly what Izuku wants to know.

 

Uraraka looks like she wants to say something, but their teacher cuts her off. "Good work with yesterday’s trial.” Aizawa starts, laying down a packet of papers before looking back at them. "I'd like to repeat what I said at the beginning: if you think you can go around and believe you’re safe from expulsion, you’re dead wrong. It applied to then, and it applies now."

 

The man throws it all off nonchalantly, but his eyes are glaringly red. "You throw the kind of emotional shit Bakugo Katsuki did here, you can kiss UA goodbye. If I have to repeat this stupid lecture one more goddamn time, you all will be expelled. No exceptions."

 

Holy shit. Izuku can't help gaping at this man, because no one has ever done that to Bakugo. No one ever put a foot down on his behavior and called him out, because they all wanted him to be a hero. "This cannot be real." Bendy is just as she'll shocked as he is, so he at least knows it's not a dream.

 

If people didn't think Mineta was enough of a promise Eraserhead held onto, then Bakugo sure as hell woke everyone up.

 

“Midoriya.” He closes his mouth in a jiffy, remembering he too was involved in that battle as well. There was no way Aizawa would let him off like this. "Stop holding yourself back and learn to utilize your Quirk efficiently. Find a way to let your emotions out that won’t get yourself killed. Don't do that and expect yourself seeing the gates just as fast as Bakugo did.

 

“That’s all for that area.” And then he returns to looking bored. “Now for more stressful announcements.”

 

_A sudden pop quiz? A test of our Quirks? A logical ruse?_

 

“You’ll be picking out your class president. Figure out how yourselves.” He shuffles back into his sleeping bag and knocks himself out.

 

Immediately they’re all yelling and talking over each other, trying to pick themselves. (It feels a little more emptier, though, now that they're down another student.) Though leave Izuku out of this one; he has no interest in this.

 

“If this must be a democracy, then I put forward the motion..” The boy is intimidating, being all dramatic and such. Until he throws his hand up. “THAT OUR LEADER BE CHOSEN BY ELECTION!”

 

Half of the class laughs at Iida’s attempt to democratize their classroom. “This is a classroom, not a classroom!” Some of them shout amidst the laughter.

 

“Shut up and fucking decide instead of squabbling around.” Their homeroom teacher briefly growls at them before going back to sleep. Those closest to him scramble away, almost as if he burned them.

 

Eventually they get to voting, Momo giving them all paper for the occassion. Which takes about a third of their time there to get it done, much to Aizawa’s annoyance.

 

“I GOT THREE VOTES?!” The three inklings let out a shout of surprise as Izuku throws himself forward, completely thrown out of the ball park by this shock. At least they share his sentiments, though Bendy's a little rude about it. ("APOLOGIZE YOU BRUTE!" Alice slaps Bendy, making him fly into one of the desks and become a splat of ink.)

 

Iida seems depressed by this turn of events. “Zero votes! I should have known how harsh reality is for this sacred office!” Boris lets a loud chortle out at the dramatics of the kid.

 

“So your president’s Midoriya and your vice president Yaoyorozu.” Aizawa squirms in his sleeping bag as he hops back to the podium, ‘gesturing’ (how the fuck does one do that in a sleeping bag?) the two of them off. “Get back to your seats and shut up.”

 

—

 

“I’m a little worried about whether or not I can be class president…” Izuku mumbles nervously as he starts eating at his chopsticks. “Ouch.”

 

Alice sighs as she pulls the sticks away. “Be more careful, Zu Zu.”

 

“I’m sure you can do it!”

 

“If you can fiddle a bomb then you can definitely diddle that calm!”

 

“Boris, what the fuck does that mean,” Bendy bites on Boris’s ear, causing him to screech in pain. “Don’t rhyme when you can’t make it work, dolt.”

 

“Izuku, your grit and and decisiveness in a pinch makes you a perfectly suited president. ’s why I voted for you.” _What!? You mean— you know what, it’s Iida for you_.

 

“But didn’t you want to be president, Iida? You got the outfit and everything!” Kaminari and Tooru start laughing their asses off, causing Tokoyami to sputter over the food they spray.

 

“Ura, hon, ya should really think twice before ya say… that kind of stuff.”

 

“Again, ambition and suitability are different.” Iida will not convince him that he didn’t want the position. “I humbly feel that my choice was correct.”

 

Uraraka snaps her fingers, doing that ridiculous posing. “The way you talk, Iida, are you a rich kid?!”

 

Bendy bursts into laughter, joining the dying Kaminari, Ashido, and Tooru with banging onto the table and making the tableware clink against each other. “H-holy shIT, URA!" Bendy yells in bursts, trying to breathe right (but they don't have -- never mind now'a not the time for that). "THE CHOICE IN WORDS! HAHAHA HOLY SHIT!”

 

“Bendy, watch your fucking language.”

 

“Hy-hypocrite!”

 

Iida squirms in his seat as several faces stare at him. “I don’t like people knowing, but… yes.” Iida takes a deep breath. “I’m from a renowned hero family, and I’m their second son.”

 

“WOAH! COOL!” Uraraka shouts in his ears.

 

“Do you know of the Turbo Hero Ingenium?” Izuku nods his head ferociously, absolutely enthralled at the fact that he starts rattling off what he knows about him. “H-how very informed… but yes, he’s my _brother_.”

 

“BROTHER?!” Izuku squeals as he nearly sucks in his rice. Tokoyami looks at him briefly before he looks away, making it seem he wasn't concerned and taken off guard. “THAT’S SO COOL!”

 

“I know, right?” Iida gives off the best of smiles. “He’s my inspiration for becoming a hero.”

 

Wow, that’s surprising. “Not All Might?”

 

“I mean, yes, All Might is quite the aspiring figure! But… I admire my brother for his adherence to the rules and regulations. He’s a beloved hero for being so out there for everyone!” Iida’s smile is growing even more, and Izuku can’t help but grin alongside him. Ingenium is loved by the public for a reason. “But I don’t think I’m ready to lead yet. Which is why I chose you, Izuku, to be our president!”

 

It’s quiet at their table, though for himself he’s just trying to process this adorable admiration. Then Bendy ruins it with his laughter, which causes Iida to sputter. Uraraka joins Bendy's antics, teasing the embarrassed kid, "So THAT'S why you said all that! It was just some elaborate way to explain why you voted Izuku!"

 

An alarm blazes through before their conversation can continue.

 

“Security Level 3 has been broken.” The robotic announcement relays over the questioning voices. “All students, please evacuate in an orderly fashion.”

 

The response is immediate and literally the opposite of what the announcement told them to do.

 

“What’s Security Level 3?” Iida tries asking around, only receiving shouts, pushing, and “I don’t knows”. The only solid information they get is that it’s an infiltration of some sort.

 

There’s all sorts of shouting and shoving in the hallways, absolutely murdering every nerve in Izuku and making his anxiety skyrocket. “Keep breathing, Zu Zu!” Alice tries to use the lullabies from such a long time ago (NO NO NO NO NO I DON’T LIKE THIS), but it doesn’t work.

 

“I… I can’t!” Izuku ducks, covering himself and trying to stop being thrown alongside the crowd. It hurts so much, it’s too much. He wants to drown _and not go through this god he’s already been through one hell of a day, why more?_

 

There’s a loud slam, making Izuku shudder and shout in surprise. It’s enough to interrupt the constant rush of _awful_ , but not enough to stop the rampage of kids leaving.

 

“EVERYONE! EVERYTHING’S FINE!” _Iida?!_ “IT’S ONLY THE PRESS, NOT A VILLAIN! THERE IS NO NEED TO PANIC, WE’RE FINE!

 

“REMEMBER, WE’RE U.A.! ACT AS YOU SHOULD IN A WAY BEFITTING THIS GREAT INSTITUTION!”

 

“Izuku!” He can hear better now that the buzz is out of his head. Looking up shows him Uraraka smashing herself through the crowd to get to his curled body. “Izuku, are you okay? I couldn’t find you for a minute and I got scared!”

 

There’s a hand being held, and next thing he knows Kirishima is leaning down into his sight. “Need a hand, Izuku?”

 

Izuku can’t help the stray few tears that fall off his face. “Y-yeah.” He grasps onto the other’s hand, doing a terrible job at wiping the tears off with his other.

 

He has a decision to make now. If it’s allowed.

 

—

 

The class shouts agreements at Izuku’s suggestion for Iida to be made class president.

 

“That sounds good for me!” Kirishima still has that toothy grin he wears almost all the time. “He proved himself earlier at the cafeteria! Not that I have anything against you, Izuku.”

 

Kaminari sort of chuckles at Kirishima’s enthusiastic response. “Gotta agree with you there. He was like a beacon to the emergency exit.”

 

“Whatever. Just get on with it.” Aizawa glares at them with the passion of a man who just had to deal with the media - or just kids who’re taking too long. “I told you all to not waste time, and look at what you’re all doing…”

 

“EEK! WE’LL GET ON WITH IT, AIZAWA-SENSEI!”

 

Iida is silent, probably going to be dramatic —“I WILL ACCEPT THE JOB, THEN!” Yep, there he goes.

 

“You can do it, Mister Exit Sign!”

 

“Exit Sign Iida, do your best!”

 

Bendy chortles and laughs alongside the other two chuckling inklings at the new name for Iida. “E-exit!”

 

“It’s like he really was one for Zu Zu!”

 

“Whatever is 'is decision is fine with me!”

 

“Glad you three agree with my decision,” Izuku gives a little grin as he pets Bendy, making the class aw and Aizawa quickly staring straight into his soul. He really hopes Aizawa won’t kill him.

 

—

 

“Midoriya if you close your mouth right now then I will expel you.”

 

Izuku snaps his mouth shut, teeth grinding on his cheek to keep him from smiling. “Wh-what d-d- what is t-the video s-supposed to m-mean?” He asks in stutters, already hearing the coos of Alice and pets of Boris.

 

Aizawa sighs, almost as if this is killing him to say this. “Do you or do you not know the extent of your Quirk?” At the slight confused tilt of his head, he sighs, a little more deeply. He starts mumbling, “How the hell do you know everything about your Quirk and yet not?”

 

“Er, s-s-sensei?” He lets out a small "eep" at the blood-red stare given to him. “I-I never knew I c-could do anything more th-than th-them.” He gestures to his hair, hoping he gets him to understand that, after watching that video, he had absolutely no _fucking clue_ how the hell that was born.

 

The stare makes him sweat, and he’s so sure he’s sweating ink now ( _that pen looks deliciou— BACK ON TRACK_ ). It stops being red an hour - no, a minute into it, but it doesn’t stop being scrutinizing. “Irregardless,” the hero puts his hands onto the desk. “I cannot allow you to be here—“

 

Izuku hangs his head, Bendy already scrambling to terrorize the man (“YOU SON OF A—“).

 

“Unless you get that under control.”

 

Izuku snaps his head up, so sure it’s broken by now ( _just like that one show, House— FOCUS DAMNIT!_ ). “Eh?” He can feel that nervous smile coming up, and it’s a little hard to stop it.

 

“I talked it over with the principal, and we’ve agreed that if you want to continue to be here, then we shall have you practice on your Quirk more. It’s what we do, what we are supposed to do, since you all are the next generation of heroes. But!” He lifts a hand before Izuku can say anything. “But we need your and your mother’s agreement. If either one of you say no, then we have a right to stop your education right now. Do you understand?”

 

It’s sort of hard to process when you have to get rid of fifty billion (only ten) awful strands of anxiety and panic-inducing ideas as to why you were called up. But don’t worry! It’ll process soon!

 

… Eventually.

 

“… Yes?”

 

“Good.” Aizawa stands up, an envelope in hand. “Give this to your mother and read it with her. Sign it with her, and then return it to me tomorrow morning. We’ll give further instructions afterwards. Now get going and do whatever kids do these days.”

 

Bendy is dripping from behind, a quiver in his voice as Izuku walks away. “T-that’s it?”

 

—

 

** Ura Ura Ura Ura! **

What did sensei want with u?

 

** Beat Around the Bush **

I’m not entirely sure?

 

** My Hero Costume Needs WHeelys **

I’m not surprised you don’t remember.

 

** Ura Ura Ura Ura! **

Dont be so obvs about it, Lid!

 

** Ura Ura Ura Ura! **

Damnit autocorrect!

 

** My Hero Costume Needs WHeelys **

I am starting to doubt it is autocorrect….

 

** My Hero Costume Needs WHeelys **

BUT REGARDLESS! I hope it was nothing stressful.

 

** My Hero Costume Needs WHeelys **

Or another expulsion.

 

** Beat Around the Bush **

IT WAS NOTHING LIKE THAT IT WAS JUST A TALKT!

 

** Beat Around the Bush **

I think.

 

** Ura Ura Ura Ura! **

Idc if ur in UA or not

 

** Ura Ura Ura Ura! **

Ur our friends

 

** Ura Ura Ura Ura! **

Evn if sensei expels you

 

** My Hero Costume Needs WHeelys **

POSTIVE THOUGHTS, URARAKA! POSITIVE THOUGHTS!

 

** Beat Around the Bush **

Oh, im home

 

** Beat Around the Bush **

see you two later?

 

** Ura Ura Ura Ura! **

Good luck with the expulsion!

 

** My Hero Costume Needs WHeelys **

URARAKA, PLEASE!

 

—

 

“Did you get in trouble again?” It’s the first thing his mother huffs out as she takes one look at the letter.

 

“Surprisingly no?” The inklings say together, unable to truly articulate their confusion.

 

“Hm…” Izuku starts sweating again as his mother reads it. She brightens as she reads it further, a small smile getting bigger as it goes along. “Oh, Izu, darling, this is great!” She twirls around, her smile now stretching on all sides, before she starts shoving it into his hands. “Read it! Read it!”

 

And he does. “…Had to fight Power Loader… thought to make Tokoyami Fumikage my teacher, but he’s a student… with both of your agreements, we will help him train… Ectoplasm as my teacher?” He can’t help the tilt in his head because huh? Why would anyone help him?

 

It’s snatched - “Inko-ma, don’t tear it please! We need the signatures!” Alice flies off of Izuku to stop his mother from ripping it in half out of joy - right out of his hands, and Izuku barely blinks. Help. Again. This time from another hero.

 

But it’s not to be cruel or detrimental. It’s strictly for educational purposes. This is to help him take a step forward, and see that he becomes a hero the public can depend on. He’s not a liar.

 

He’s not a liar.

 

He’s not _a liar_.

 

Someone believes in him.

 

“I need a pen, someone- IZUKU!” He can barely feel his mother trying to pull him out (off) of something (the floor), tears (staining) falling off him.

 

“Mom, someone believes in me,” he whispers, and his mother joins him in his tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually had to rewrite a bit because I realized that 1. I made Aizawa strict. If I didn't apply that to Bakugo, then wouldn't I be a hypocrite? (It also makes me go back in depth about how Horikoshi actually doesn't treat Quirkless people right (case in point: can't be a _pro_ hero unless you have a Quirk. Which is what All Might  & Izuku get through OFA). 2. Okay so if Bakugo's gone then that means something else has to happen. I went with Ectoplasm because he has a similar Quirk, but I have plans for Tokoyami to help him out at a later point! Thank you once again, Jazzy!
> 
> Speaking of later, I finally have most of USJ and the Final Exams down! I was debating on what exactly I wanted happen down there (how Todoroki's relationship is different by the time Final Exams hit, how two kids are out by then, how Toshinori actually won't play a role in this story), and now I'm also pretty worried with how I want the ending of this story, which will stop officially after Kamino. I thought about it, and I now know that I can't write anymore following canon due to how much longer the series will be and that, while I love and adore Eri from the bottom of my heart, I can't write it out due to not knowing how I could possibly put Izuku into the operation (aside from Alice's role). So yeah!
> 
> As I said earlier, I'm going to be doing a lot of other shit and getting prepared for graduation/college, so I might not come back online until a little later. I don't want to head straight into USJ either, so I have a bit of an interlude coming in. Plus, I need to think on how I want the rest of the story to continue, since several parts will be different and I have a special role for Izuku to do.
> 
> Anyways, thank you all for the support and the grueling shit that this chapter was, and we'll meet again don't know where, don't know when. But it'll be soon!
> 
> Hopefully.

**Author's Note:**

> Ink Machine: This Quirk allows one's body to produce an ink that can create life from drawings. At its starting point it makes everything you draw come to life, but with time you can consciously decide whether it will come to life or not. The personality and abilities, you can't control that unless you deliberately edit them to be unable to. They can attack anyone, have minds of their own, are weak in water, and can easily travel via a flat surface. The best way to heal them is to redraw them on paper.
> 
> (For you Bendy fans, I think the whole 2D AU is a little show of what inspired his Quirk alongside a little something else in Chapter 2.)


End file.
